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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Has American Apparel gone too far with 'creepy' controversial new campaign?


As American Apparel faces bankruptcy, the fashion retailers are pulling out all the stops to attract attention.

Renowned for highly controversial campaigns, the brand recently claimed to have overhauled it's risqué image.

But judging by their new ads, it appears they have changed their mind.

Au naturel: American Apparel's new campaign for spring features a model showing her underarm hair

Au naturel: American Apparel's new campaign features a model showing underarm stubble

The posters, due to appear in various publications, feature half-naked models accompanied by the American Apparel trademark caption, a brief description of the girls posing.

One poster shows a young-looking 'classically trained ballerina' lifting her arms to reveal stubble.

Another sees a very young looking 'college student' swinging on a tree in nothing but a shirt and knee-high socks.

Creepy: A topless model paints her nails in a room full of mannequins

Creepy: A topless model paints her nails in a room full of mannequins

american apparel

Crossing the line? One of the posters depicts a 'college' student swinging from a tree wearing only a shirt and socks

Some Tweeters have reacted to campaign, branding it 'creepy' and 'out of hand'.

Previous adverts containing similar themes have been banned in the past by various advertising authorities.

Most recently, American Apparel agreed to comply with a UK ruling to not display an ad that appeared in VICE Magazine because it had the potential to 'widely offend' people.

In 2007 American Apparel put up two billboards in New York and Los Angeles featuring an image of Woody Allen's character from Annie Hall dressed as a Rabbi.

Allen strongly objected to this use of his image and sued for $10 million calling the campaign 'sleazy' and 'infantile'.

Despite American Apparel's popularity, the future of the company looked uncertain after losses of up to $7million (£4.5million) for the three months to June were revealed, pushing debts to $120.3million (£77.2million).

Their accountants Deloitte & Touche sent the stock in a tailspin with its departure from the company then struggling to avoid a debt default after claiming American Apparel withheld crucial information.

The fashion retailer deny the claims.

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